Harrison brand



(No Model.)

H. BRAND.

sHOVEL. No. 397,964. Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

n ibzess es UNTTED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

HARRISON BRAND, OF ILION, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF ALBERT M. ROSS, OF SAME PLACE.

SHOVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,964, dated February 19, 1889.

Application filed December 12, 1888. Serial No. 293,351. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRISON BRAND, of Ilion, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shovels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shovels; and the invention consists in a novel construction of the blade for the attachment of the handle, and of the strap to be used therewith, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a face or top view of the blade ready to receive the handle. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the handle attached. Fig. 3 is a face view of the under side; Fig. 4, a face view of the strap detached, and Fig. 5 a sectional view showing the rivet attachment.

The object of my present invention is to so improve the construction to render the shovel strong and at the same time cheapen its manufacture.

The blade A of the shovel is made of steel or iron in the usual form, or essentially so, and has the usual raised rim, B, as shown. The upper end is formed with a projection at its center, and a transverse slit, 6, is cut through the metal at that point, as shown in Fig. l, the severed strip of metal D being then swaged or curved outward or backward, as shown.

from the rear side,'so as to produce a raised portion or rib, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which of course leaves on the under surface of the blade a correspondingly-shaped recess for the reception of the lower bent end of the handle H, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. This rib or recess will of course be made of the proper length and width to permit the end of the handle to fit snugly therein and give it a good firm bearing, the lower side of this part of the handle being first cut off so as to come flush with the under face of the blade A' at each side, or nearly so, as shown in Fig. 3.

The handle, whether of the long or the D style, it being optional to use either, is of course stean'icd and bent, as usual, to give it the proper curve for use, and so that its lower end or point will fit snugly in place where it bears against the blade. When the handle is From this point toward the edge of the blade the metal is swaged or indented 5 inserted, it will be seen that while its lower portion laps under the blade A in the groove the loop D passes around the under side of the handle at the extreme upper edge of the blade, and that thus the entire strain brought 011 the handle in using the shovel is supported by the metal of the blade itself, it only being necessary to secure the handle against being pulled out.

To fasten the handle in place, I use a T- shaped rivet, Z, the head of which is made long enough to reach across the face of the handle, as shown in Fig. 3, the ends of the head or cross-bar being tapered and bent down on the wood at each side, so as to clasp the handle and prevent it from splitting, as shown in the sectional figure 5, where these parts are enlarged. If desired, an additional strc p may be applied to the under side of the handle, its lower end being held by the T- head of rivet Z, its opposite end being held by a screw or rivet to the loop D, or to the handle above the loop, as may be preferred.

The shovel thus made is specially adapted for shoveling snow, clearing off sidewalks, and all similar uses, and is amply strong for such use, while being simple and cheap to make.

This improvement is applicable to all styles of shovels and spades, both of the flat and scoop varieties. I'Vhen desired for heavy worksuch as shoveling earth, stones, sand, and the like-I give it additional strength by the addition of a strap, I, as shown in Fig. 2. This strap, as shown enlarged in Fig. 4, is formed with an ear or projection, 0, at each side near its lower end, and with a nose, or projection, 01, at its lower end, it of course being swaged or shaped so that when applied to the upper side of the handle, as shown in Fig. 2, the ears '0 can be riveted to the blade A at each side, and the nose or part a will lap over on the rib O, to which it is secured by a rivet, e, as shown, and which may be desired, and as shown in Fig. 3. IVhen this strap I is not used, I usually insert a woodsorew through the loop D into the handle as an additional fastening, as shown in Fig. 3, and it may be used with the strap also, if demade to extend through the handle also, if

5 claim is sired, though in that case a rivet extending through the strap, handle, and loop would be preferable.

Having" thusdeserihed my'invmition whatl 1. As an improvement in shovelsflhe blade A, having the loop 1) formed integral therewith by cutting; a slit in the metal and then swaging or bending the severed portion of the 10 metal outward or backward, shown and described.

2. The shovel-blade A, provided with the loop D at its upper end, and the longitudinal 

